I was also shocked to read that Marylou was not Karoly's first choise as top athlete, she was the alternative, I have to go back to the book to remember who his top athlete was then.

Korbut I so like watching her videos, I like her pigtails also!
I really want to post my fav videos, but later sometime, I want to watch all videos of wedding& show of S/Z that I missed this weekend!!!

She was the first to really get me interested in gymnastics.
Maybe seniorita or some others will add a few clips of favorite performances over the years.

Oh, wonderful!! I'd never really seen Olga Korbut's gymnastics. That made me remember something. I remember at my ballet school we all were rivetted by the gymnastic competition in 1992. And one of my ballet teachers talked about how it would drive her bananas that the gymnasts stopped in the middle of their floor routines to take a deep breath before the tumbling passes. And she said she felt that woudl be corrected in years to come. Well, it hasn't of course. But I noticed that Olga Korbut didn't do that in her routine. I wonder if all this stopping was made necessary because the tumbling passes became more difficult?

I had to look the terminology in english, but yes it is breathing point, concetration point and creates a bit of anticipation for judges. Basically is a point to take off anxiety and doubt. I liked the Korbut's routine but she was light and fast, in some other athletes it might look like they are chased.

Originally Posted by Layfan

Oh my. You know, I don't know if there has ever been a skater with as much attitude as Boginskaya. She sizzled. She was unique.

yes she was, if I have to have a childhood idol, she is the one for me